Interactive Brokers vs FXCM 2025

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Regulation

Interactive Brokers, established in 1977, and FXCM, founded in 1999, are both reputable platforms for online trading. Interactive Brokers is publicly traded and holds nine Tier-1 licenses, which are top indicators of trustworthiness, along with two Tier-2 licenses. It boasts a perfect Trust Score rating of 99 out of 99, suggesting a highly trusted status. In contrast, FXCM, also publicly traded, has four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, with a strong but slightly lower Trust Score of 95. Neither platform operates as a bank, ensuring they focus solely on brokerage services.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Year Founded info	1977	1999
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	Yes
Bank info	No	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	9	4
Tier-2 Licenses info	2	2
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	0

Fees

When comparing Interactive Brokers and FXCM on commissions and fees, Interactive Brokers emerges as a strong competitor with attractive pricing for forex trading. Despite not publicly releasing its average forex spreads, data from Q3 2024 shows Interactive Brokers offering effective spreads for EUR/USD at 0.59 pips. The broker charges commissions starting at 0.2 basis points per side, with a $2 minimum per order, making it cost-effective for high-volume traders. Active traders benefit further with potential discounts, where fees can drop significantly based on monthly trade volumes. Interactive Brokers delivers value with its star rating of 5 out of 5 and holds a solid #2 ranking in the Commissions and Fees category among 63 brokers.

FXCM, while slightly higher in pricing compared to the industry average, provides several options for traders through various accounts. Standard account spreads for EUR/USD averaged 0.78 pips in early 2024, which is notably higher than ideal. FXCM’s spreads for its commission-based accounts averaged 0.28 pips, but the effective spread is closer to 0.74 pips after accounting for commissions. Active traders can take advantage of discounts via the Active Trader Rebate Program, although these incentives vary by region and volume. Despite offering some savings, FXCM's total cost for traders is less favorable when compared to certain competitors. It holds a 4-star rating and ranks #25 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees.

In summary, Interactive Brokers offers competitive forex trading commissions, particularly for high-volume traders, and boasts a higher ranking than FXCM. While FXCM provides options for active traders to lower their costs, its standard pricing can be less competitive. Both brokers cater to different trading needs, with Interactive Brokers seen as a more cost-efficient choice for those prioritizing lower spreads and commissions.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Minimum Deposit info	$0	Starts from $50
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	0.59 info	0.9 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.65 info	0.8 info
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	Yes
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Range of investments

Interactive Brokers vs FXCM: Both support forex trading via spot or CFDs. Interactive Brokers offers 8,500 tradeable symbols and 90 forex pairs, while FXCM lists 440 symbols and 46 pairs. Interactive Brokers also lets you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges (for example, Apple on NASDAQ or Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange). FXCM does not offer direct stock trading on exchanges.

For crypto, Interactive Brokers supports both actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and crypto CFDs, whereas FXCM offers crypto CFDs only. FXCM includes copy trading; Interactive Brokers does not. In the Range of Investments category, ForexBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers; FXCM earns 3.5 stars and ranks #48.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	8500	440
Forex Pairs (Total) info	90	46 info
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Disclaimers	Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).	Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

Interactive Brokers vs. FXCM: both brokers check the core boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers free paper trading (demo accounts), in-house proprietary platforms, Windows desktop software, web-based platforms, and the ability to place orders directly from charts. Key differences: FXCM supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while Interactive Brokers does not. Neither broker offers MetaTrader 5 (MT5).

In independent testing, both brokers earned 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. However, Interactive Brokers is ranked #3 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, while FXCM is ranked #6. If you want MT4 or copy trading, FXCM has the edge; if those aren’t priorities, both provide strong platform coverage with desktop and web access plus paper trading and chart-based order entry.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	155	115
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Interactive Brokers and FXCM both deliver strong mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and synchronized watchlists, so changes on mobile match your online account. Both let you draw trendlines on charts, giving traders basic tools for technical analysis on the go.

Interactive Brokers stands out for charting depth, offering 97 technical studies compared with FXCM’s 59. FXCM, however, auto-saves chart drawings, while Interactive Brokers does not—useful if you frequently annotate charts on mobile. In overall quality, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while FXCM scores 4.5 stars and ranks #16. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want more indicators; pick FXCM if saved mobile chart drawings matter most.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	97	59
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

When comparing Interactive Brokers and FXCM in terms of market research offerings, both platforms provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from esteemed sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with the latest updates. Additionally, both brokers offer technical analysis tools from Trading Central, as well as sentiment-based trading tools that display the ratio of long and short positions on various instruments. They also each include an economic calendar to track global news events, essential for traders who want to align their strategies with market movements. However, a difference arises with research tools from Acuity Trading, where Interactive Brokers holds an advantage, offering access to features like Signal Centre, which is not available with FXCM.

Evaluating their research quality, Interactive Brokers receives a stellar rating of 5 stars, marking it as a top choice for in-depth market analysis. It ranks impressively as the third broker out of 63 for research on ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, FXCM offers reliable market insights with a notable rating of 4.5 stars, securing the 11th position for research in the same review. This distinction highlights Interactive Brokers’ slightly superior standing in research offerings, making it a preferred option for traders who prioritize state-of-the-art research features and comprehensive market analysis.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	No
Trading Central info	Yes	Yes
Client sentiment data info	Yes	Yes
TipRanks info	Yes	Yes
Acuity Trading info	Yes	No
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Interactive Brokers and FXCM both offer beginner-friendly trading education. Each broker runs online client webinars at least once a month and provides a sizable library of beginner videos (10+), along with plenty of advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. That mix of live sessions and on-demand lessons helps new traders build skills at a steady pace.

If you’re comparing education quality, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead: it earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com. FXCM is still a strong option, scoring 4.5 stars and ranking #14. In short, beginners who want the deepest catalog may prefer Interactive Brokers, while FXCM remains a reliable pick with frequent webinars and many helpful videos.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Webinars info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than FXCM. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15.

Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.

Feature	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Overall Rating info
Trust Score info	99	95
Range of Investments
Commissions & Fees
Platforms & Tools
Research
Mobile Trading
Education

FAQs

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Overall Rating	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	95
Winner	check_circle
Review	Interactive Brokers Review	FXCM Review

Broker Screenshots	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info

Regulation	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Trust Score info	99	95
Year Founded info	1977	1999
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	Yes
Bank info	No	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info	9	4
Tier-2 Licenses info	2	2
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	0	0

Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted)	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info	Yes	No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info	Yes	No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info	Yes
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info	Yes	No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info	No	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	Yes info

Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted)	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info	No	Yes
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info	No	Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
India (SEBI Authorised) info	Yes	No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info

Investments	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	8500	440
Forex Pairs (Total) info	90	46 info
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	No
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	Yes	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	Yes	Yes
Disclaimers	Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).	Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).

Cost	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	0.59 info	0.9 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	0.65 info	0.8 info
Inactivity Fee info	No	Yes
Order execution: Agency info	Yes	Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info	No	Yes

Funding	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Minimum Deposit info	$0	Starts from $50
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	No	Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info	Yes	Yes

Trading Platforms	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	Yes	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	No
cTrader info	No	No

Trading Tools	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	155	115
Charting - Trade From Chart info	Yes	Yes
Charts can be saved info	Yes	Yes

Mobile Trading	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	97	59
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Research	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	Yes	Yes
Autochartist info	No	No
Trading Central info	Yes	Yes
TipRanks info	Yes	Yes
Client sentiment data info	Yes	Yes
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Education	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Webinars info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Major Forex Pairs	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info	Yes	Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review	Interactive Brokers Review	FXCM Review

Overall	Interactive Brokers	FXCM
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	95
Winner	check_circle
Review	Interactive Brokers Review	FXCM Review